Sustainability in Food production and fair trade - Essay Example

Sustainability in Food production and fair trade Hester and Harrison (2) describe sustainability in food production as food system’s ability to maintain the production and the distribution without being interrupted. It refers to the ability to meet the future food demand by sustaining the growth of food production. If food supply is discontinued, severe costs are incurred in different levels which include: the household level, which is adversely affected because most families rely on subsistence economy.

Discontinuity in food production affects the nutritional status of the rural and the poor urban population. It also increases inequality in the distribution of wealth and income. Secondly, at the community level, discontinuing the food supply and food production expansion has varied effects such as loss of productive employment to the local communities in the agro ecological zones. Thirdly, national level suffers. The nutritional status of citizens may be affected, cut foreign exchange earnings from agriculture, divert country’s resources to import food and may frustrate a nation and prevent her from exploiting comparative advantage.

In addition, it brings about uncertainty as the levels of agricultural investment decreases. According to Chadwick and Marsh (61), despite the increase in food production per person in the world, most countries especially those in the sub – Saharan Africa have in the recent decades faced the challenges brought about by production fall in foodstuff. The world food problem has been attributed to the changes of production, income, growth, demand and trade. Fair Trade Issues According to Zaccai (15), fair trade refers to partnership between traders and the producers wrapped under equality and fairness.

In most cases, traders are based in the developed countries while the producers are in the underdeveloped or even developing countries. This approach focuses in assisting producers in developing countries market their products. Importation and exportation of food is considered a part of a global food chain. Food can be purchased in different parts of the world as it travels through thousand several chains of supply. Small farmers work in various cooperatives and are able to access the global market through sale of produce to local middlemen.

In developing countries such as Africa, Asia and Latin America rural economies ought to benefit from global trading. However, most producers in these countries get inadequate payment as compared with the prices in the developed world. In the global food systems, fair trade has emerged to bring balance between the cost of the food production and its prices. This is illustrated clearly by more direct trading systems, whereby producers dominates in controlling the conditions of trade and benefits by attaining a greater percentage of the sale price.

Fair trade aims to transform international commercial relations in a manner which enables the disadvantaged producers to have adequate control over their own future, attain appropriate return for their work , proper working conditions and continuity of income by sustainable development The costs of food production as compared with packaging and even the mark ups along each level of the food chain are minimal. The exporters, importers, processors and the packers all draw their income from the chain of supply.

In most cases, the small farmers receive a small amount which does not allow them to live adequately. Fair trade considers two issues which include: the reward of small scale farmers for their own produce. Secondly, it considers wages paid to employees who are working in various factories and even plantation. Operational issues According to Baldwin (257), the various levels of food production through processing to retail impact the environment in different ways. The main aspect to be considered includes the operational issues.

This deals with the various processes and strategies of supply chain right from the primary transformation of foods which includes harvesting, slaughter and other operations through manufacturing stage and retail. The major operational issues include: the various consequences of primary production on climate change, transportation issues (transportation costs, timing and insurance), and the impact of freight transport on the environment and food as well as packaging waste. The issue of food waste arises in the different levels of the food supply chain up to the consumer level.

Food transporters and traders cool, freeze, dry or can food under transportation to avoid or minimize food waste. However, application of various preserving technologies contributes to global warming because energy is used and direct emissions (pollutants) are produced. References Baldwin, Cheryl. Sustainability in the Food Industry. NY, USA: John Wiley and Sons, 2009. Chadwick, Derek, and Joan Marsh. Crop protection and sustainable agriculture, NY, USA: John Wiley and Sons, 1993. Hester, Ronald, and Roy Harrison.

Sustainability in agriculture. Cambridge, UK: Royal Society of Chemistry, 2005. Zaccai, Edwin. Sustainable consumption, ecology and fair trade. NY, USA: Taylor & Francis, 2007.